Live Financial And Business News By SaneBull

MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) - Democrat Al Franken beat Republican incumbent Norm Coleman to win the U.S. Senate seat from Minnesota, officials conducting a final recount said on Monday, though the loser promised to challenge the result.

GAZA (Reuters) - Israeli troops backed by air strikes fought to seize ground from Hamas militants deep inside the Gaza Strip on Monday despite international calls for a ceasefire in a conflict that has killed more than 540 Palestinians in 10 days.

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - France stepped up its push for a ceasefire in Gaza by drafting a U.N. Security Council resolution on Monday demanding a truce but Israel vowed to continue military action until Hamas stops firing rockets.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The prospect of new tax cuts in the United States and Germany injected a measure of New Year cheer on Monday, even as automakers wrapped up 2008 as their worst in more than 15 years with yet another month of slumping U.S. sales.

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. prosecutors asked a judge to jail accused swindler Bernard Madoff on Monday, saying he sent jewelry and other items worth more than $1 million to family and friends in violation of his bail.

(Adds comments from Hyundai executive, December U.S. sales)

TOKYO, Jan 6 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei average rose 1percent on Tuesday, the first full trading day of 2009, withexporters such as Sony Corp gaining after the yen slidagainst the dollar.

BUENOS AIRES, Jan 6 (Reuters) - As eight horses and ridersgalloped in pursuit of a wooden ball one recent afternoon, U.S.movie director Robert Duvall rubbed shoulders with Argentineformer soccer star Gabriel Batistuta.

(For more stories on the financial crisis click [ID:nCRISIS])

SHANGHAI, Jan 6 (Reuters) - Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, a medium-sized Chinese commercial bank partly ownedby Citigroup , said on Tuesday its unaudited net profit rose127.53 percent in 2008 from 2007.

WASHINGTON, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Legislation designed to stemforeclosures by allowing bankruptcy judges to erase somemortgage debt will be introduced by Congressional Democrats onTuesday, and hopes are high that it will pass after a similarplan failed last year.

TOKYO, Jan 6 (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp said onTuesday it plans to halt production at all of its plants in Japanfor a total of 11 days in February and March in response toflagging auto sales.

NEW YORK, Jan 5 (Reuters) - The following financialservices industry appointments were announced on Monday. Toinform us of other job changes, please e-mailmoves@thomsonreuters.com.

Jan 5 (Reuters) - Following are U.S. sales and market shares of cars andlight trucks listed by auto groups and their wholly owned subsidiaries forDecember versus the same year-earlier month and for the year-to-date. Percentchanges are based on the daily sales rate. Makers Dec 2008 % Chng Share Yr Volume % Chng Share ------ -------- ------ ----- --------- ------ ----- GM-Group 221,209 -31.4 24.8 2,976,187 -23.1 22.6 Traditional 220,030 -31.2 24.7

WASHINGTON, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Leading auto supplier VisteonCorp and U.S. pension insurers reached a $55 millionagreement to strengthen retirement accounts covering 5,300former employees, officials said on Monday.

(For more stories on the financial crisis click [ID:nCRISIS])

Jan 5 (Reuters) - Following are U.S. sales and market shares of cars andlight trucks listed by auto groups and their wholly owned subsidiaries forDecember versus the same year-earlier month and for the year-to-date. Percentchanges are based on the daily sales rate. Makers Dec 2008 % Chng Share Yr Volume % Chng Share ------ -------- ------ ----- --------- ------ ----- GM-Group 221,209 -31.4 24.8 2,976,187 -23.1 22.6 Traditional 220,030 -31.2 24.7

CHICAGO, Jan 5 (Reuters) - The following chart representsU.S. light vehicle sales totals, individual automaker resultsand market share for the month of December 2008. Percentchanges are based on the daily sales rate.

Jan 5 (Reuters) - Following are Hyundai Motor Co Ltd U.S. sales of cars and light trucks in December 2008versus the same year-earlier month and for the year to date.

TORONTO, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Canadian auto sales tumbled 21percent in December from a year earlier, industry figuresshowed on Monday, as the worsening global economy undercutconsumer confidence and credit was harder to come by.

Jan 5 (Reuters) - Following are Mazda Motor Corp U.S. sales of cars and light trucks in December 2008versus the same year-earlier month and for the year to date.

CHICAGO, Jan 5 (Reuters) - The following are the 20 top-selling vehicles inthe U.S. through December of 2008 as reported by the automakers.

WASHINGTON, Jan 5 (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect BarackObama pressed congressional leaders on Monday to pass his hugespending and tax-cut package amid signs the centerpiece of hiseconomic stimulus plan may face delays.

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WASHINGTON, Jan 5 (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect BarackObama pressed congressional leaders on Monday to pass his hugespending and tax-cut package amid signs the centerpiece of hiseconomic stimulus plan may face delays.

NEW YORK, Oct 29 (Reuters) - Staples Inc stock

slid 10.6 percent to $37.50 in after-hours trading

NEW YORK, Oct 29 (Reuters) - Shares of Hartford Financial

(Corrects in first paragraph to show shares fell instead ofrose)

NEW YORK, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Shares of FlextronicsInternational Ltd jumped 5 percent to $3.93 inafter-hours trading on Thursday after the contract electronicsmanufacturer posted second-quarter results.

NEW YORK, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Shares of Microsoft Corp rose 5.3 percent to $23.50 in extended trade onThursday after the software maker's quarterly earnings beat theaverage Wall Street estimate. For details see [ID:nWNAB1062]

NEW YORK, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Shares of Juniper Networks Inc rose 2.4 percent after the company postedthird-quarter results and expressed cautious optimism aboutnear-term opportunities.

NEW YORK, Oct 22 (Reuters) - Shares of Allstate Corp fell 7.1 percent to $26.23 in extended trade onWednesday after the insurer reported its quarterly results. Fordetails, see [ID:nWNAB0122]

NEW YORK, Oct 22 (Reuters) - Shares of Amazon.com fell 13.4 percent in extended trading on Wednesday after theonline retailer's fourth-quarter revenue expectations fellshort of analyst expectations.

NEW YORK, Oct 21 (Reuters) - Shares of iPhone-maker Apple rose 2.7 percent in after-hours trading on Tuesday,after reporting quarterly results.

WASHINGTON, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Leading auto supplier VisteonCorp and U.S. pension insurers reached a $55 millionagreement to strengthen retirement accounts covering 5,300former employees, officials said on Monday.

NEW YORK, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Even in a city accustomed tonotorious figures in its midst, the latest sighting of BernardMadoff caused heads to turn.

HONG KONG, Jan 6 (Reuters) - GSR Ventures, a China partner ofU.S. venture capital specialist Mayfield Fund, said on Tuesdaythat it had raised $383 million for a new fund to focus oninvesting in Chinese technology companies.

Jan 5 (Reuters) - U.S. auto sales fell 35.5 percent inDecember from a year earlier, according to data from automanufacturers on Monday. The following are highlights from thelargest carmakers in the U.S. market.

TORONTO, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Canadian auto sales tumbled 21percent in December from a year earlier, industry figuresshowed on Monday, as the worsening global economy undercutconsumer confidence and credit was harder to come by.

BOSTON, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Affiliated Managers Group (AMG), a U.S. holding company for asset managers, has agreedwith smaller rival Harding Loevner LLC to postpone a deal toacquire it, citing tough markets.

BOSTON, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Hedge fund firm JD CapitalManagement LLC is liquidating a roughly $1 billion fund thatsuffered heavy losses recently, the company's founder said onMonday.

NEW YORK, Jan 5 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil futures settledat the highest level in a month on Monday as theIsraeli-Palestinian conflict escalated.

NEW YORK, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Och-Ziff Capital ManagementGroup , led by former star Goldman Sachs trader DanielOch, disclosed on Monday that assets managed by the firm fellby about 20 percent in December.

BOSTON, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Hedge fund firm JD Capital isliquidating a roughly $1 billion fund that suffered heavylosses recently, the company's founder said on Monday.

WASHINGTON, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Legislation designed to stemforeclosures by allowing bankruptcy judges to erase somemortgage debt will be introduced by Congressional Democrats onTuesday, and hopes are high that it will pass after a similarplan failed last year.

Jan 5 (Reuters) - Following are U.S. sales and market shares of cars andlight trucks listed by auto groups and their wholly owned subsidiaries forDecember versus the same year-earlier month and for the year-to-date. Percentchanges are based on the daily sales rate. Makers Dec 2008 % Chng Share Yr Volume % Chng Share ------ -------- ------ ----- --------- ------ ----- GM-Group 221,209 -31.4 24.8 2,976,187 -23.1 22.6 Traditional 220,030 -31.2 24.7

CHICAGO, Jan 5 (Reuters) - The following chart representsU.S. light vehicle sales totals, individual automaker resultsand market share for the month of December 2008. Percentchanges are based on the daily sales rate.

(For the latest Australia and New Zealand bond news, doubleclick on [AU/CRD] and then double click on the ID number)

WASHINGTON, Jan 5 (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bushwill designate nearly 200,000 square miles (518,000 sq km) ofthe Pacific ocean on Tuesday as a protected region, White Houseofficials said, making the areas hands-off for oil drilling orother extraction procedures.

WASHINGTON, Jan 5 (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate, dubbed "theworld's most exclusive club," seemed certain to begin its newyear on Tuesday with potentially ugly battles over two would-bemembers.

NEW YORK, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Weatherford International on Monday sold $1.25 billion of 10-year and 30-yearnotes, according to IFR.

MINNEAPOLIS, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Democrat Al Franken beatRepublican incumbent Norm Coleman to win the U.S. Senate seatfrom Minnesota, officials conducting a final recount said onMonday, though the loser promised to challenge the result.

NEW YORK, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Emerging market stocks, bondsand currencies rose on Monday on expectations of interest ratecuts in the new year and a major U.S. economic stimulus packagethat would help lift the global economy out of its doldrums.

WASHINGTON, Jan 5 (Reuters) - General Motors Corp will receive a second $5.4 billion installment of itsgovernment loan on Jan. 16, the U.S. Treasury said on Monday.

(For more stories on the financial crisis click [ID:nCRISIS])

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The prospect of new tax cuts in the United States and Germany injected a measure of New Year cheer on Monday, even as automakers wrapped up 2008 as their worst in more than 15 years with yet another month of slumping U.S. sales.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President-elect Barack Obama pressed congressional leaders on Monday to pass his huge spending and tax-cut package amid signs the centerpiece of his economic stimulus plan may face delays.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar posted sharp gains against the euro and yen on Monday, buoyed by a planned U.S. stimulus package and increased expectations of interest rate cuts by major central banks other than the Federal Reserve.

* Slowing inflation dents euro ahead of ECB meeting (Recasts; adds comment, updates prices)

(Updates MasterCard; Adds Porsche, Chesapeake and others)

NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) - Gold tumbled on Monday, briefly breaking below the $850-an-ounce level as investors took profits on the back of a dollar rally and signs of slowing physical demand in India, the world's top bullion consumer.

NEW YORK, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Longer-dated U.S. Treasuriesretreated on Monday as investors wondered how well the marketmight absorb the swath of fresh supply needed to meet thegovernment's rising need to borrow in a time of crisis.

WASHINGTON, Jan 5 (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect BarackObama pressed congressional leaders on Monday to pass his hugespending and tax-cut package amid signs the centerpiece of hiseconomic stimulus plan may face delays.

WASHINGTON, Jan 5 (Reuters) - U.S. President-elect BarackObama pressed congressional leaders on Monday to pass his hugespending and tax-cut package amid signs the centerpiece of hiseconomic stimulus plan may face delays.

WASHINGTON, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Leading auto supplier V